Clothespin



W. J. COFFEY July 21, 1964 CLOTHESPIN Filed Oct. 1, 1962 FIG. 5

FIG. I

FIGZ

FIG.4

FIGES INVENTOR.

WILLIAM J. COFFEY FIG. 5

ATTORN EYS United rates Patent @jfif ce 3,141,212 Patented July 21, 1964 3,141,212 CMETHESPHJ V lilliam I. Coffey, 511% 31st Ave. N., St. Petcrshnrg 169, Fla. Filed Get. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 227,313 3 Claims. Cl. 24-138) This invention relates to fastening devices and more particularly to a novel and improved clothespin. Although this invention will be described with reference to clothespins, the novel fastening device herein disclosed is not necessarily limited to such use but can be employed in other applications where a removable fastener is required for fastening pliable objects to supporting members.

An important feature of all fastening devices is the ease with which they may be applied and removed. Since clothespins must often be utilized under diflicult conditions created by wind and cold weather, the ease with which they may be attached becomes particularly important. Although several variations of clip type clothespins have been developed in the past, they have proved unsatisfactory because of the undue complexity in the structure of the article and the fact that some difiiculty is experienced in grasping and applying them.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved clip type clothespin with an integral handle structure for providing a quick and efficient means of application and disengagement.

Another object of this invention is to increase the strength and rigidity of the handle portion of the clothespm.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved integrally shaped clothespin of resilient material such as plastic, plastic coated metal or the like, without sharp edges. Several advantages are gained from this construction. The clothespin can withstand severe weather conditions without decaying or rusting and clothes can be fastened without fear of tearing. In addition, the cost of manufacturing is substantially reduced due to the simplicity of design.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved clothespin;

FIG. 2 is a View in front elevation of the improved clothespin;

FIG. 3 is a view in rear elevation of the improved clothespin;

FIG. 4 is a View in side elevation of the improved clothespin positioned in preparation for clamping over a piece of cloth on a clothesline;

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation of the improved clothespin clamped over the cloth on the clothesline; and

FIG. 6 is an illustration of the method of disengaging the clothespin from the clothesline by angular displacement of the handle.

Referring now to FIGSI 1-3, the clothespin consists of an arm portion 4, a handle portion 6 and an arched connecting member 8. Arm portion 4 is comprised of a strip of resilient material such as plastic, plastic coated metal or the like having a rounded and extremity 10 outwardly disposed with respect to handle portion 6. Handle portion 6 is comprised of a complementary strip 12 of resilient material and a handle 14 extending normal to the strip and integrally formed thereto. A longitudinal slot 16 is located between the inner surfaces of arm portion 4- and complementary strip 12. Slot 16 terminates at arched connecting member 8 in the form of a semicircular aperture 18 having a diameter slightly larger than that of a conventional clothesline. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the lateral dimension of slot 16 is tapered with a minimum dimension slightly less than the diameter of a conventional clothesline at 20.

Handle 14 which extends in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of semi-circular aperture 18 is integrally formed to complementary strip 12 and arched connecting member 8 and faired to a smooth transition therebetween. In this manner, both the complementary strip and the arched supporting member are substantial- 1y strengthened.

The stiffness in bending of the device in planes normal to the paper in FIG. 1 provides a gradual progression from a substantially rigid character in the lower portion of the handle 14 to a resilient character for the arm portion 4 which has the capability of substantial deflection away from the complementary strip 12. Due to this distribution of stiffness the actual deflection of the arm portion 4 and arched connecting member 8 is inversely progressive relative to the bending stiifness and undue stress concentrations in the entire structure are avoided. Consequently the clothespin can be deflected to an ex tremely wide open position without danger of fracture or the production of stresses which would induce fatigue failure. A further improvement is provided by the knurled or roughened areas 22 molded into both outer surfaces of handle 14 in order to facilitate frictional engagement and prevent slipping when the handle is grasped. Therefore, in addition to insuring the desired rigidity of complementary strip 12, handle 14 provides a convenient and improved method of gripping and applying the clothespin.

The application of the clothespin in clamping a piece of cloth 24 to a clothesline 26 is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The cloth 24 is first folded over clothesline 26. The knurled areas 22 of handle 14 are then grasped between the thumb and forefinger and the clothespin positioned in preparation for clamping as shown in FIG. 4 with the cloth and clothesline contained within slot 16. A downward force is then exerted on the clothespin through handle 14, forcing the clothesline and cloth past the minimum lateral dimension 26 of slot 16 and causing the arm and handle portions to be slightly spread apart. The combination of cloth and clothesline finally comes to rest within semi-circular aperture 18 as shown in FIG. 5 and the clothespin is firmly clamped on line 26 in a cloth retaining position.

The disengagement of the clothespin from the clothesline is illustrated in FIG. 6. Handle 14 is again grasped between the thumb and forefinger and a force exerted in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of clothesline 26. This in turn causes the clothespin to be pivoted about the inner edge of arched member 8 as at 28 and forces the combination of cloth 24 and clothesline 26 out of circular aperture 18 and past the minimum lateral dimensions 20 of slot 16. As the angular displacement of handle 14 is increased, the combination of cloth 24 and clothesline 26 emerges from slot 16 and the clothespin is fully disengaged. In this manner it can be seen that by the simple angular displacement of handle 14 in either direction, the clothespin can be easily and quickly removed.

It is my intention to cover all changes of the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An integrally fabricated fastening device of suitably resilient material for securing pliable articles to a supporting member, said fastening device comprising an arm portion and a handle portion joined by an arched connecting member located therebetween, said arm portion 3 1 consisting of a strip of said resilient material of shorter length than said handle portion and having a curved end extremity outwardly disposed with respect to said handle portion, said handle portion consisting of a complementary strip of said resilient material facing said arm portion and having a handle joined thereto, said complementary strip cooperating with said arm portion to form an elongated slot of varying lateral dimension, said elongated slot terminated by said arched connecting member in a semi-circular aperture and having its minimum lateral dimension spaced at a distance from the longitudinal axis of said semi-circular aperture, said minimum lateral dimension being slightly less than the lateral dimension of said supporting member, said handle lying in a plane normal to said longitudinal axis of said circular aperture.

2. A fastening device as described in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned handle has roughened outer surfaces to facilitate gripping.

3. An integrally fabricated fastening device of resilient material comprising a flexible arm portion and a rigid handle portion, said arm and handle portions joined by a flexible arched connecting member located therebe- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,022,416 Hanli Nov. 26, 1935 2,527,674 Cold Oct. 31, 1950 2,825,952 Van Driel Mar. 11, 1958 2,983,013 Mader May 9, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 644,758 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1950 

1. AN INTEGRALLY FABRICATED FASTENING DEVICE OF SUITABLY RESILIENT MATERIAL FOR SECURING PLIABLE ARTICLES TO A SUPPORTING MEMBER, SAID FASTENING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ARM PORTION AND A HANDLE PORTION JOINED BY AN ARCHED CONNECTING MEMBER LOCATED THEREBETWEEN, SAID ARM PORTION CONSISTING OF A STRIP OF SAID RESILIENT MATERIAL OF SHORTER LENGTH THAN SAID HANDLE PORTION AND HAVING A CURVED END EXTREMITY OUTWARDLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID HANDLE PORTION, SAID HANDLE PORTION CONSISTING OF A COMPLEMENTARY STRIP OF SAID RESILIENT MATERIAL FACING SAID ARM PORTION AND HAVING A HANDLE JOINED THERETO, SAID COMPLEMENTARY STRIP COOPERATING WITH SAID ARM PORTION TO FORM AN ELONGATED SLOT OF VARYING LATERAL DIMENSION, SAID ELONGATED SLOT TERMINATED BY SAID ARCHED CONNECTING MEMBER IN A SEMI-CIRCULAR APERTURE AND HAVING ITS MINIMUM LATERAL DIMENSION SPACED AT A DISTANCE FROM THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID SEMI-CIRCULAR APERTURE, SAID MINIMUM LATERAL DIMENSION BEING SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE LATERAL DIMENSION OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER, SAID HANDLE LYING IN A PLANE NORMAL TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CIRCULAR APERTURE. 